Skyler Bell NFL Draft 2026 Scouting Report for Buffalo Bills WR

Damian ParsonDec 4, 2025

The Buffalo Bills selected UConn WR Skyler Bell with the No. 125 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft.

Skyler Bell is a small-school wide receiver with a skill set that translates smoothly to the NFL as a slot or movement/motion Z receiver.

He offers alignment versatility, mismatch creation, and yards after the catch. Against Power-4 competition, he proved he belonged on the same playing field.

Before transferring to UConn, his career began in Wisconsin as a former 3-star recruit in the 2021 class. Bell is having an outstanding breakout campaign for the Huskies with over 1,200 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Dame Parson is the lead host of the Locked On NFL Draft podcast. He also serves as co-host of the Scouting Room NFL Podcast alongside Daniel Harms.

Highlights

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Where He Wins

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- Bell is a good route runner who creates natural separation from defenders. He uses hard/quick plants and cuts to lose his defensive back and get into an open window. He is effective at stacking and leaning the defender in the opposite direction of his intended breaking point.

- He has good stop/start ability to sell and execute double moves. Good short area quickness to operate out of the slot on choice/option routes. He displays a high football IQ, reading defensive leverage well post-snap.

- He attacks zone coverages with patience, reading the depth of the defender's drop before settling into the void. Bell works well on crossers and mesh concepts, where he can make the catch before transitioning into a runner.

- After the catch, Bell displays the foot quickness and agility to make defenders miss in a phone booth. His lateral movement skills and wiggle make him difficult to track down in the open field.

- Effectiveness on slot fades and vertical routes. With a two-way go, Bell puts defensive backs in conflict with his suddenness and foot speed at the line of scrimmage to get past them quickly.

Areas of Improvement

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL: SEP 20 Ball State at UConn

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- Bell's frame is slender and lean without much muscle mass. After the catch, he lacks the physicality to break away from defenders if his elusiveness fails.

- Play strength average at best. At the line of scrimmage, UConn's best receiver can struggle to detach from press-man coverage. Physical corners can slow down his route momentum with early contact in his release.

- He must develop a consistent approach against press alignment. His release can be elongated, taking up too much time. He freelances and spends too much time on route fakes instead of being deliberate with every step.

- Playing through contact is not one of Bell's shining traits. Physicality and contact impede his timing and disrupt his process overall. In contested situations, his effectiveness dips noticeably when he is contacted by a defender. On shallow crossers, underneath zone defenders can easily push him off his route path.